Abstract
Fetal malnutrition and growth retardation can be related, in part, to poor placental blood supply. Experimental IUGR was induced on the 18th day of gestation in pregnant rats by ligating the uterine horn, while leaving the opposite horn intact as a control. On the 22nd day of gestation, the weight of the fetal, small intestine parallels the decrease of body weight. The weight loss is related to a significant reduction in DNA content and in cell number, and to a lesser extent, to a decrease in cell size. In contrast to maltase (M), alkaline phosphatase (AP), and enterokinase (EK), only lactase (L) activity is significantly decreased in fetuses paired from same mothers. These results suggest, that in addition to the decreases in small intestinal cell number and enzyme content in IUGR, there is a proportionally greater decrease in L activity. This can be explained by either a selective effect of IUGR on a critical developmental period for lactase, or that lactase is more vulnerable to insult. (*Units ± S.D. = μmole/gm protein/min.)
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